The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-08-25
MORE ABOUT TOBACCO.
CURING ON AND OFF THE
STALK.
Maj Ragland' Views on the Subject -
an Important Matter that should be
Fully Discussed.
ISouthern Tobacco Journal.

southern 1 TOBACCO JOuTllal
EDITOR ToURNAL:-At your request
l reply hastily to the questions pro-
pounded by the editor of the Southern
Planter, on " Curing Tobacco off the
Stalk" The answers following cor
respond with the number to the ques-
tions on the first bage of last weeks
/Oufank
I. Nicotine is distinct property of
the tobacco plant, leaves, stalks and
roots, both in green and dry state
and is not generated by and chemical
combination of substances caused by
heat in the curing process.
2. Besides nicotine, which is fluid
colorless alkalold acrid, and pungent,
tobacco contains a volatile substance,
Mc0Ianin, having an empyreumatlc
odor, and also a dark reSinOus extract,
having a bitter taste. The properties
are possessed by the plant entire, as
also the smoke, and vary in relative
proportions according to the type,
the dark, rich, gummy type contain
ing greater percentage thereof than
the yellow and milder kinds.
:. Tobacco differs greatly from corn
and other grains and fruits, IN pos
sessing but little saccharine matter or
other properties such as starch, which
is convertible into sugar, which by
fermentation produces alcohol. The
nicotine in tobacco is unaffected by
temperature in the curing process, and
therefore remaines unchanged.
d. The chemical laboratory has set
tied this question as stated, and ex-
Deriments on the farm must decide
which type of tobacco and what mode
of culture, curing and management
will produce the staple with the least
amount of nicotine.
(. The process of harvesting the
leaves of the tobacco plant as they
ripen, bv stringing them on twine or
wire preparatory to curing, is not at
all new, bu. was practiced by the plan
tiers in colonial times, when the bulk
of the product was cured without arti-
fetal heat, t. {. dried by sun and air.
That this mode has not been adhered
to generally since, is evidence rather
against it, as the best and cheapest
mode of harvesting tobacco. Nor can
it be claimed for the product of fields
subjected to this mode, as still prac-
ticed in some of the States, that 1t CON
tains less nicotine than is found in the
leaves of plants cut entire by splitting
the stalk and curing rapidly by fues
But it is a fact known to some O
the best planters, that the process O
curing tobacco by aues developes anc
fixes in the leaves the greatest amoun
of sugar, while the diffusion of nico
tine from the stalk into the leaves l
prevented thereby drying the leaf will
the least amount of nicotine or empy
reumatlC oil.
The process of curing with SLOW
open wood fires the dark rich gumm,
export type, is promotive of abstract
ing the volatile properties of the tn
plant contained in the stalk by diffu
sion into the leaves, consequently caus
ing them to hold a larger per centaS
of nicotine.
Il This is proved by the analysis
"Virginia shipping" leaf, which cor
tains 4. 80 per cent. of nicotine Will
y the " bright yellow" type contains onl
40 per cent. thereof.
By the process of curing bright te
bacco with flues, there is little or n
absorption of nicotine from the stal
of whole plants, as by the slow air Gu
b ing or open fire process. This howeve
is the accepted opinion and is NJ
based upon actual experiment. 1t ms
be true as claimed by some, that mo-
- nicotine is evolved from the stalks
~ plants cured whole and diffused in
the leaves, than is to be in the leav
o. pulled green from the stalks. tt
an question is easily settled by analySi
RS and until this is done, this scribe e
9 presses no definite opinion on this polr
A pertinent question suggests its,
right here. Who wants tobacco Who'll
destitute of nicotine? the substan
beyond all others which gives to
ire bacco its peculiar and enticing chara
nd teristic. Tobacco without nicoti
ng would be like spirits or ferment
n, liquors without alcohol. Whence wou
ire come demand for either, if such Cou
we be had?
Ike This writer ventures the predict
that there will never be offered to t
trade any type or grade of tobac
destitute Of nicotine and If such WI
possible, there would be no dema
for a weed destitute of the eAhila
ting, soothing and satisfying effects
nicotine.
The late Doctor Voelcker char
n terized the yellow tobacco of Virgi
and North Carolina, cured with flu
leaves cured upon the stalks, as
ire. only the most pleasant to use, but